The present invention relates to an apparatus for the dispensing of a good and/or for the release of a service and a suitable system herefor.
Dispensing machines are installed in public areas worldwide in large numbers which, for example, allow customers or users to obtain beverages, candies and similar after inserting coins. In contrast, as a rule the payment of the service in the gastronomic sector takes place in cash, whereas credit cards are also frequently used.
In the sector of dispensing machines, there have already been some trials of cooperation between telecommunications operators or mobile telephony operators and dispensing machine operators in the past. The dispensing of a good here takes place by calling a specific telephone number, preferably clearly recognizable on the dispensing machine, whereby the triggering mechanism for the good is activated. The mobile telephony operator or the network operator here takes care of the billing and the collection risk for the dispensing machine operator. In return for this, the dispensing machine operator profits from a reduced cash float and from the passing on of the collection risk. In addition, the risk of vandalism and the money transport effort is substantially reduced by the reduced use of cash.
In summary, however, the use of the conventional system means that the mobile telephone party or user standing in front of the dispensing machine must dial a specific telephone number which is preferably written on the automat and which may be different with respect to the different goods.